Costa del Sol: Cops quiz Irishman over gangland murder in Spain

Sources close to the case confirmed he had been arrested in the Costa del Sol resort of Estepona on Wednesday morning and several properties searched as part of a new operation to hunt down those involved in the brutal September 2015 killing.

The unnamed man is expected to appear in court before or at the weekend - although Spanish law police have 72 hours to hold him and can apply for an extension.

It is not clear at this stage where the new suspect, who has not been charged with any crime and wouldn't be formally accused until shortly before trial, is being held.

A secrecy order placed over the case following the arrest by the investigating judge continued to be operative today, preventing public officials from making any comment.

SOLARPIX

SCENE: Police are still probing the shooting

“Several properties have been searched as part of a new operation to hunt down those involved in the brutal September 2015 killing”

A spokesman for the Guardia Civil in Malaga said: "I am not at liberty to say anything."

The well-placed source said: "An Irish national was arrested in the municipality of Estepona on Wednesday morning by officers investigating the murder of Gary Hutch.

"Searches of several properties have also taken place."

His killer chased him round a residential estate popular with holidaymakers and expats before cornering him and shooting him in the head and chest. The shocking murder sparked a bloody feud between the Kinahan and Hutch families in Dublin and Spain which has claimed more than a dozen lives.

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SECRECY: Public officials are restricted from making any oomment

Garda officers are understood to have travelled to Spain to take part in the new operation, which follows the operation in mid-September dubbed Operation Geraneo which involved raids on properties in the area.

In August innocent Irish holidaymaker Trevor O'Neill was killed in front of his family in a Majorcan holiday resort.

In February gangster David Byrne was shot dead at Dublin's Regency Hotel during the the weigh-in of Jamie Kavanagh, the boxing pal of crime boss Daniel Kinahan, in a crime seen as retaliation for Gary Hutch's murder.